Fight as Geralt the Witcher. Our Witcher 2 Walkthrough will help you through the adventure with a full walkthrough, skill tips, and combat strategies.

What's New:

May 27, 2011: Version 1.4 of the Witcher 2 Game Guide. Chapters 2 and 3 of the Scoia'tael are here.

May 25, 2011: Version 1.3 of the Witcher 2 Game Guide. Chapter 3 for the Special Forces is complete.

May 24, 2011: Version 1.2 of the Witcher 2 Guide is up. Chapter 2 for the Special Forces path is up.

May 19, 2011: Version 1.1 of the Witcher 2 Guide is up. It now includes the first pass on the Combat and Skill Tree sections.

May 17, 2011: Version 1.0 of the Witcher 2 Walkthrough Game Guide completed. It currently features a walkthrough of the first two Chapters.

Combat and Skill Trees

Combat in the Witcher 2 is completely different than the first game. You no longer have to worry about various stances. However, there are still key means of strategy in order to survive. Your special Witcher silver sword, magic signs, and alchemic potions are main the tools for the adventure. You can also unlock new skills in various trees, such as using throwing weapons.

The odds are stacked against you, and you'll be fighting multiple enemies at a time. You'll always want to be prepared before a fight by meditating and gulping several potions. Rook to boost damage (Damage +10%, Duration 10, Toxicity 26) and Swallow for health regeneration (Vitality Regeneration during Combat +1, Vitality Regeneration +1, Duration 10, Toxicity 25) should be your main drinks of choice. However, other tonics such as Mongoose and Cat are needed for special situations. Keep in mind though that each potion raises toxicity, which can be deadly at high levels. You can drink three potions at first, and four after focusing in Alchemy.

During combat you will want to fight defensively. Parry attacks and counter when you have enough Vigor, and dodge when your Vigor meter is depleted and recharging. A successful Parry will reduce damage and may stun the enemy. The safest bet is to use a three hit combo before going back into a protective mode. In early stages you might find it is more tactical to run and face each enemy at a time. Otherwise you run the risk of being swarmed.

Magic is also important for defenses. The magic sign Quen creates a shield that resists damage and shocks the enemy. Yrden is a trap spell that can lock enemies in place; its power comes into play with most bosses and is worth investing in later. Axii is both an offensive and defensive spell: it takes control of one enemy and allows them to fight on your side for a short time. This not only removes a threat, but adds to damage output and a good decoy.

More offensive magic includes Aard, which pushes the enemy back. This is among the first spells you should get to level three first, as its knock down effect is great for bosses. Last is Igni, a fire spell that does raw damage. It's not necessarily bad, but the other four magic signs have more tactical value in many situations.

These are the basics, but things can change based on the enemy. Bosses and other scripted fights more likely to change the rules. For example Rot Fiends in the first chapter aren't very defensive and can be clobbered with a barrage of attacks. Other enemies might be strong, but slow enough that you should ignore Parry and just dodge. Always observe who or what you are engaging and be quick about re-thinking your strategy.

Witcher Training

When leveling up Geralt you will first only have access to the Training tree. You must spend at least six points here before unlocking other talent paths. It's recommended that you boost your Vitality with Hardiness, advance your Parrying skill, and place at least one point in Throwing Daggers and Fortitude.

A second point in Dagger Throwing is good for bosses, especially when facing humans. Arrow Redirection is decent for archers, mainly if you side with The Special Forces in later acts. The basic Vigor Regeneration isn't truly needed, as most out of combat situations also allow you to rest.

From here you can begin to customize the Witcher in three different trees: Swordsmanship, Magic, and Alchemy. All three have their uses, so don't completely neglect a tree. However, you should still select a focus. There are many skills and alternate builds, but these tips are an excellent baseline in creating a deadly Witcher.

Swordsmanship

This tree improves your ability to fight in melee combat, among the best ways of boosting offense. You will want to first get Riposte for countering, followed by Guard, Tough guy, and Hardy for more defense.

Those who want to specialize in sword play might also want to consider putting at least one point in Position so you can unlock Violence. Last go for Finesse before moving into the last three skills: Invincible, Combat Acumen, and Whirlwind.

Magic

The Magic Tree improves all five of your magical signs, a great means of protection. Even non-magic focused builds will want to go with the powerful Aard upgrade. Next up your shields with both Enhanced Quen and Venting.

More experienced mages should also spend time with improved Igni, Yrden, and Magical Life Force. The last two skills Sense of Magic and Control Over the Power are also great. The latter will unlock the sixth sign, Heliotrope, which allows you to build extra adrenaline.

Alchemy

Alchemy improves potion use, including the duration, effect and resistance to toxins. Even Sword and Magic users will want to spend a few points on Synthesis for more life and Potion Specialization for the increased.

True Alchemists will want to go deeper into the tree with the mandatory skill of Harvester. Catalysis is also handy for boosting potion effects. Next, go through Oil Specialization, Taster, and into Metathesis. Last spend points in Condensation before getting Mutant and Amplification. Get these last two skills will actually make you more powerful when poisoned, giving you incentive to max potions all the time.

Assault on the Castle

You'll start in a dungeon with Vernon Roche. He'll be asking several questions, and the order of your answers determines which of the next few scenarios you'll play first. It's recommended to play them in order, as otherwise you might be in placed in fights you're not ready for.

Meeting the King

During the first portion of Geralt's story you'll be asked to meet with King Foltest. The King is watching the battlefield near the ballistas. Go to him and listen to his explanation regarding the siege weapon. He'll soon hand you a telescope and ask you to aim at some targets. Once in reticule view, locate the knight with the red plume and give the order to fire. Afterwards follow the king and his men to the siege tower.

Barricade

The second section of Geralt's story will start with you and the King's army emerging from the siege tower. Kill the La Valette enemies or let your allies clean up. There is a tough barricade ahead manned with archers. Instead of forcing your way through, drop down to the courtyard and fight the guards here. Start by taking out the unarmored swordsmen, followed by the two-handed sword wielding knights, and last the fighters with shields. Be sure to either parry or use the Quen spell to absorb damage.

Once the guards are dead, complete two quick time events to launch the nearby ballista. If you fail any of the quick time events you'll have to face more guards--up to four at once that may be armed with shields and heavy armored. Once the barricade is cleared out, return to the King and his men. Proceed forward across the castle and help Foltest's forces fight the La Valette soldiers. Because you'll have support of both the King and four of his troops, you can safely chop down your foes without much reprisal.

You'll next enter a tower where a large axe wielding knight and several other troops stand in your way. Wait for the King and his guards to rush the stronger enemies while you deal with the unarmored foot soldiers. After clearing out the smaller fries, help your allies fight off the stronger commander. To help maintain your targeting against so many enemies, be sure to lock onto your intended mate while they are range. Keep in mind that lock-on will disable if you move or roll too far away.

Once the enemies are dead, ascend the ladder and you'll soon encounter once of the commanders of this rebel army: Aryan La Valette. You'll have several dialogue options that include reasoning with the lord, fighting him and his men, or offering a one-on-one duel. Your choice here can affect the final part of the Prologue, and it is recommended that you spare the young leader. However if you choose to fight, once gain stick to the safe method of parrying to stagger the enemy and countering with a quick two-hit combo.

After taking care of Aryan you'll be able to select another story path. It's a good choice to ask about the dragon attack.

Dragon Attack

You'll meet with Foltest, Triss, and Roche as you strike deeper into the enemy's encampment. Foltest's knights will lower the bridge ahead and allow you to enter the stronghold. However, a huge strike will attack the area. Quickly take cover to the left and protect yourself from the flames. While your allies will help fight the La Valettes, it's best to be proactive and kill the enemies yourself.

After making it through the first set of enemies, you may have to cross through the dragon's fire and take a huge amount of damage. During this time be on the defensive by guarding, using magic, and allowing your allies to fight the rest of the enemy while you heal up. Since you are in battle you can't use potions, so rely on health regeneration and parrying for now. Once the La Valette Knights are dead, head through the archway on the left to learn more of Geralt's story.

Secret Entrance

For this next section of Geralt's story you will want to arm yourself with the Aard spell, which can be used to break down barriers you come across. Your orders from the king are to find a way to open the main gate. Head down the stairs ahead and through the town, winding to the left. Smash down one wall with your Aard magic and you'll soon arrive at a well defended by La Velette guards. Kill them with your swordsmanship and some well placed Yrden signs. Once the position is secure, climb down the well and into the sewer system.

Down here are monsters that take extra damage by use of your special Witcher steel sword. Search the area for extra goods and smash down the doors with your Aard spells. If you run into a locked door, the key can be found on one of the bodies in the next room. You'll soon come to a ladder leading to the fortress' ground floor.

There will be several elves rowing their way to shore, but there is no means of dealing with them for now. However there are three more guards that you should kill before arriving on the other side of the main gate. When ready, head up and head left, through the garden and into the main hallway.

More guards will attack, including ones armed with heavy armor and long swords. Chop them down and defend yourself with parry or defensive spells. Once the enemies are dead, head back into the small passage and open the gate for Foltest and Roche.

Dragon Returns

You'll first start this section of Geralt's past by having a quick chat with the clergy and Count Tailles. From them you can learn that the King's bastard children are alive and safe in a tower just across the bridge way. Move through the next archway and the dragon will attack again, resulting in a set of quick time events.

First run straight down and hit the on screen keys to dodge the dragon's attacks. Even when it seems the same is entering a cutscene, the quick time event will still be going so be sure to be ready to press buttons at all times. Locate the king's children to hear the end of Geralt's testimony.

Escape

Roche will supply you with the keys to make your escape from the dungeon. Trick the guards stationed at your cell and you'll engage in a fist fight. Brawling uses quick time events, so you'll need to mash the corresponding keys to block and punch the enemy. Once your two wardens are subdued, arm yourself with what little equipment is around and sneak through the halls. You can use stealth to minimize the amount of fights; this can also be helped by blowing out candles and making sneak attacks against unsuspecting enemies.

Depending on your previous actions, you'll either meet with Aryan or Shilard Fiz Oesternlen, both willing to help you escape. Either way you'll need to make your way to the executioner's room and kill him for his keys and other supplies.

If you're with Aryan, you will need to fight the guards above and clear the path to help the young noble to a secret passage and a cache of explosives. With Shilard, he will distract the guards and leave the corridors open for you to simply walk away.

Despite your manor of escaping--a blast or a whimper--you'll meet Roche, Ves, and Triss outside who have a ship ready to hunt down the Scoia'tael.

Trader In Spices

After arriving on the shores of Flotsam you'll run into Iorveth on the road. Let Triss deal a spell against him, which in turn will prompt the Squirrels to attack. Triss will form a magic bubble to protect you from archery fire, but it's up to you to take out the approaching swordsmen.

Follow Roche and stay inside the magic shield to stay alive. Don't worry about killing all of the elves, as they will retreat upon entering the city walls of Flotsam. Once inside the town, you'll get word that your allies Dandelion and Zoltan are going to be executed. Rush to the gallows and interrupt the festivities.

You'll get into a quick time event fight with the guards and executioner, but will result in the release of your friends. Meet your allies in the pub and you'll have a talk. However, there is no time to relax, as soon you'll hear the sound of a monster outside: The Kayran.

The Kayran

You'll meet with Sile who is tasked with killing the Kayran. You can go straight and fight the beast yourself, but there are several tasks you can complete to make your task easier.

First head to the dwarven smiths and have them forage a new Witcher steel sword for you. This will allow you to deal extra damage to the Kayran. Next, find Sile's employer and renegotiate the contract terms to receive better pay.

Meet up with Triss on the outer gates and talk to the local elven watchmen to learn about both the Kayran and the Squirrels. Next follow Triss through the forest and you'll come to the Kayran's layer. The monster isn't actively here, but you'll have to face a pack of Drowners. Due to their numbers, let Triss distract the horde while you kill one enemy at a time. Let Triss gather up some mucus to create part of an antidote.

For the second half of the potion you'll need Ostmurk. If you already talked to Cedric of the watchmen, he will tell you of a cave where the herb grown. Head to this location: a cave behind a waterfall, and make your way through. There are some minor monsters inside, most of who can be dealt with a quick Aard and some slashes of your steel sword. The main target is the Greater Rotfiend, who protects the Ostmurk.

With the ingredients gathered, use alchemy to crate the antidote. Talk to Sile and you'll march to fight the Kayran. Drink up the antidote potion, along with other healing or combat items and get ready to party.

You'll want to slap down Yrden spells, and lure the monster's tentacles into them. Once each tentacle is stuck, slice it to bits with your steal sword. After four of its appendages are gone, the Kayran will start up a quick time event: success will pin it under rubble, while failure will lead to a game over. Once the Kayran is crushed under the rocks, dash up the newly formed incline and stab it with a final blow.

Distractions

Now that enough time has passed dealing with the beast plaguing Flotsam, you should meet with Loredo at his estate. Roche will come with you, but will be angered that Loredo has a ballista in working use. Your first task is to sabotage the device.

Talk to Margo, the madam leaning on the wall, and she will agree to "distract" the guard if you are able to humiliate tow of Lordeo's stronger warriors. You can disagree with Margo and simply pay her, or agree and challenge the two daft brutes to a game of arm wrestling. Either way, Margo will lead the ballista guard away, allowing you time to dismantle the machine.

Return to Roche when the deed is done and he will ask you to sneak around back. Enter into stealth mode and sneak attack the guardsmen. Climb up the walls and continue to lurk around, bashing Lordeo's men with your fists. You can crack open some of the chests in the yard and loot new armor. However your main goal is to spy on Loredo and Sile. If you do happen to get caught by a guard, you won't hear the lord and witch's chat, but the game will still move on.

Rose of Remembrance

After talking to Loredo, you'll meet Triss outside. It turns out that the guards have captured Ciaran, Iorveth's second in command. He's being held captive on the prison ship. Convince or bribe the ship guards and head to the lower deck to find Ciaran.

Combine your Axii spell along with Triss' healing to interrogate the Squirrel. After some quick time events and more prodding, you'll learn that it would be good to find a rose of remembrance. Either take Triss with you or go alone to locate this item.

The rose is on top of the hill over the waterfall where you gained the Ostmurk. You may have to fight a few nekkers or bandits along the way. If you're with Triss, the two of you will fall into the hot springs and can convince her to relax for some time. Eventually Roche will appear and bring you back to the city walls.

The Assassin

It turns out that Zoltan really was connected to the Scoia'tael and can lead you to their meeting place. The Squirrels will lead you into an unsafe area: an Arachas lair

This is a tough enemy, so it's best to let Zoltan tank the beast while you come in with a powerful offense or throw Ignt fireballs. One nice tactics is that the Archas will often get stuck on the terrain, allowing you an easy time to dodge or throw spells from a safe distance. When the monster is dead, you'll meet with Iorveth, who too is now seeking revenge against Letho.

Agree with the Scoia'tael plan and pretend to take Iorveth prisoner. You'll locate Letho, but Roche will also bust the party. Choose to aid Iorveth, or knock him out for good. Ignore the Special Forces and the Squirrels, as your main target is Letho.

Since he is a Witcher, Letho has access to all the same spells as you do, allowing him to protect himself with Quen or toss Ignt. Your best tactics is to stay in close and chop him down with fine swordsmanship. The ability to parry and counter will work just as well against this giant man. After Letho flees, Roche will report that Iorveth either has been captured or escaped based on your earlier actions.

Sile's Device

Depending on your choice with Iorveth, there will either be a celebration or a slaughter. With the latter you may need to bribe your way into the city or bust a few heads through quick time events to locate Dandelion.

He doesn't know Triss' current location; bur believes she was in Sile's chambers. Follow the bard and you'll find the place trashed and most of Sile's devices smashed or gone. Enter the other rooms of the inn and speak with madam Margot or the prostitute Derae to hear more of the story:

Triss used Sile's magical devices to talk to someone: either Eilhart (If Iorveth escaped) or Dethmold (If Iorveth was captured). Triss had protection from Cedric, but he is also missing.

Follow the trail of blood from the inn, outside the city, and into the forest to locate Cedric. He will tell you what he knows. You are now faced with a branching choice: stay with the Special Forces and undergo the quest Death to the Traitor, or help the Squirrels in The Floating Prison.

Death to the Traitor

Meet with Roche and the Special Forces will hatch a plan to take down Loredo. Ves will go to Loredo directly as a distraction while you sneak through the back similar to previous sneaking mission through the Baron's estate. You don't have to actually worry about stealth kills, but they will aid in keeping things simpler. First meet with Ves' contact and then enter the manor itself.

Head down to the basement and kill Loredo's body with a quick time event. Loot her corpse for the keys and head to the main floor. On each floor you will want to kill all of the guards resting. While it is easy now to simply walk by the sleeping guard, later on during the quest you might have to fight any surviving guards at the same time. After clearing each guard room, move up the stairs and repeat.

On the second floor you'll need to sneak about and gain the key to Loredo's room. With this in hand an all of the guards dead, enter Loredo's chamber. Defend yourself during a quick time event and kill Loredo in melee combat. He wields a pike which hits hard, but slow. Use his long swing times against Loredo to hurt him with fast slices.

After the battle free Ves and search for any other captives. Next head back down the stairs and fight the reinforcements which number around six. If you didn't kill the sleeping guards, you may have to deal with another four enemies at once.

After killing everyone in the halls, exit the building and help Roche and the Special Forces kill all of Loredo's guards. The Special Forces will distract the town guards long enough for you to pick them off easily.

Join up with Roche again and head to the boat to finish up the chapter. If you like, ask him about Iorveth. If you opt for this side scenario you will take control of Roche for a duel with Iorveth. Either way, Chapter 1 will conclude with Geralt aiding the Special Forces.

The Floating Prison

For this option, meet with a member of the Scoia'tael (Either Iorveth or one of the dwarves depending on your actions). Zoltan will know more and lead the way.

After teaming with the Squirrels, hike up the mountain on the side of Flotsam and kill any guards along the way. The elven fencers will help you tank the enemies, but it's up to yourself to provide the brunt of the pain. Continue to the floating prison on the docks and kill the main troops on the deck.

You'll meet with Iorveth and prepare to set sail. However, Loredo will cause one more dastardly deed: he will burn down a tower filled with elven women. You now must make a choice: save the innocent, or go after the mad ruler. Either way beat down the citizens that try and stop your assault and move further down the docks.

If you pick saving the women, head into the tower and complete the simple quick time event to untie all of them before leaping back into the water.

However, if you want to fight Loredo, ignore the tower and head up the dock's stairs. Kill the swarm of five axe wielding soldiers and you'll fight Loredo one-on-one. As with the Special Forces version, Loredo will use a heavy spear that has a long swing time. Use your fast attacks and spells to take him down.

Regardless of your choice, meet up with Iorveth again to set sail. You can also talk to the Scoia'tael leader to hear what happened with Roche. During this short segment you control Iorveth for a duel against Roche. Regardless if you bother asking this question you will now be traveling with the Scoia'tael.

Kaedwen, Prelude to War

If you sided with Roche and the Special Forces you'll start off the chapter as Henselt, king of Kaedwen. Talk to the nobles from Aedirnia and give your demands for peace. You'll soon be approached by Saskia, the enemy commander, who will ask for a duel. Much like controlling Roche, Henselt swordplay's just as Geralt but lacks magic signs. Saskia isn't that hard during this fight, simply parry and counter as normal.

You'll be back as the Witcher again. This time you'll be surrounded by ghosts and draugs. Let Roche take down the smaller soldiers, while you go for the meatier enemy with a large shield. Stick to Quen for protection and Aard to keep the enemy away from you. If you've been leveling Whirl and Venting then this fight should be little trouble.

Dethmold will now lead you through the cursed battlefield, destroying many foes with his wand. However, his spells won't be able to catch every foe, leaving you and Roche to deal with the stragglers. You will want to concentrate on the wraiths that actively attack Dethmold, while leaving the foot soldiers for Roche. Because you have so many allies, feel free to let the rest of your team do the majority of the work.

Soon you'll be brought to the Kaedwen camp where you will be escorted by lance-corporal Zyvik. Talk to him and use your Axii magic to convince him to take you to the king. Speak with the king, Dethmold, and the Niflgaardian liaison. You'll learn from your discussions that the conspirators use a square coin. You'll now need to search this item.

Butcher and Beer

There are two different quests you can undergo to earn a Square Coin: The Butcher of Cidaris or The Truth is in Beer. The former is combat based, while the latter is about persuasion. Either way, stop and rearm yourself with some better equipment and potions at the shops within the camp. The main item of interest should be a new Kaedweni sword, which may be a great upgrade for your human slaying weapon.

The Butcher of Cidaris

Talk to Manfred inside the canteen and agree to help his son Swen. Talk to Swen training outside the pub and talk to him; you can't convince him to back out of the fight, but instead agree to a doubles match. Next head a few steps to the west, into the tent and talk to Avet. He will agree to a double duel and will recruit his squire. Speak to Swen again to take part in the fight.

Avet is much more of an offensive threat, while Edwin will take refugee behind his shield. Face the knight and let Swen dance with the squire. As with most fights, put Quen up quickly and trap Avet with Yrden. Quickly roll behind him and get in a few powerful swings before he can break free. Use parries and Aard to stay protect. If you took the time to upgrade your sword the knight should die quickly. Join up with Swen and execute the squire. With the two-on-one fight you can simply beat mercilessly on Edwin.

Regardless if Swen lived or died, Manfred will give you some knowledge about where to head next: the brothel.

The Truth is in Beer

If you don't feel up to fighting, you can instead search for Ordin. He isn't inside the camp, so you'll need to exit out the main gates. Swing around to the west end wall of the Kaedweni camp and further west to the shoreline by the hill. Escort him back and convince the gate guards that your new friend is drunk because he's a key witness.

Once inside the camp, Odrin will pass out a few times require you to wake him. Travel around the camp and locate the three men calling out for Odrin. Eventually you'll end up at the canteen where you can have a beer with your new allies. Chat with them further and they will give you the lead to the brothel.

Brothel Brawl

Exit out the camp and head to the brothel on the hill to the south. Talk to Madame Carole. Ask to have some fun with her girls, show her the square coin, and ask for Whistling Wendy. Once with Wendy specifically tell her "I want her smile to open the gates of heaven for us". She will open a secret passage leading to the enemy hideout.

Stop and drink a few potions, including a Rook and a Swallow. If you can stand the toxicity, take a third potion as well. Enter the strong hold and you'll be attacked by six enemies. Among them is Trout, the leader of the bunch. He is much stronger and tougher than the other five warriors. Get your Quen shield up quick and send the enemies flying with Aard spells. Each time an enemy is downed, slam your sword into them before they have the chance to counter. The room is small and cramped, so you'll want to kill the smaller thugs quickly. Once it becomes a one -on-one match with Trout, use the standard tactic of parrying and countering when he is staggered.

Search around the area for more items, including Trout's threads, Seltkirk's armor. There is also a piece of paper written by Dandelion. Return to the camp and talk to your bard friend. Report your finding to both Dethmold and Henselt. You'll learn about Sabrina and how she caused the curse plaguing the land.

Sabrina the Witch

After talking to Dethmold, head out of the camp and travel to Sabrina's execution site. Along the way you'll chat with Zyvik. He will ask you to locate two of his lost soldiers. Thankfully they also headed to Sabrina's last stand.

Once at the execution site talk to the two soldiers and ask them to wait for you. Take the time to examine everything around the area, from the candles, to the footprints, and the bloody wheel itself. Once checking every inch of the execution, talk to the two soldiers and escort them back to camp. You will face drowners on the way back, so help defend your two clueless pals. If they survive, go see Zyvik for your reward.

You can speak further with the people in camp about the evidence you found. None of it is necessary, but it will reveal a bit more story. There are people in the canteen along with some of the venders that know what happened to Sabrina. Either way, head outside and towards the north eastern Pontar shores.

You'll encounter soldiers fighting various monsters on the way. If you wish, stop and help the Kaedweni warriors. However, you might also want to use them as a distraction to slip by the enemy. You'll know you're in the right location when harpies start to appear. Quickly run to the house in the distance, as it is protected by magic symbols.

Talk to the visionary inside and agree to become a member of the faithful. You can bribe him with orens, or under take a ritual and join the cult.

For the ritual, the visionary will hand you a potion. Follow the quest marker to reach Sabrina's grave site. While you're instructed to arrive after dusk, set your meditation time to midnight and wait until at least after 21 hours. When the time is right drink the potion and inspect the grave.

You'll awake the next morning from a crazed stupor. Report back to the visionary and mention the mushrooms and chicken you saw. He will make you a member of the cult from here on out. Talk to the visionary further and learn about the missing spear head.

Return back to the camp and speak with the relic ported inside the canteen. You'll discover that Iorveth has the spear head, but there isn't a safe means of getting to Vergen. See Dethmold and he will provide an amulet to get across the cursed land. The sorcerer will also provide some new armor.

Three Relics

As you exit the Kaedweni camp, you'll meet up with Zoltan. He will help fight along your side as you move to Vergen. Head into the evil mists and you'll be transported into the eternal battlefield.

Using your amulet will now release a skull that will lead the safe route to Vergen. With Zoltan covering your back you can simply let him tank while your rush to the exit. However, if you want some extra experience stop and fight a few enemies. Don't wonder too far though, as you'll attract needless amount of enemies. You'll soon be at Vergen's walls where you can speak with Yarpen Zigrin. He will tell you where to gain the first relic, the Dun Banner's standard. Zoltan will depart to get the second relic for you.

Travel to the marker provided by Zigrin. You might encounter enemies on the way, but nothing out of the ordinary. Once arriving at the forest hillside, enter the carven below and deeper into the catacombs. Various walls can be shattered with the Aard spell; most of these rooms only have junk, but a few can be explored for extra treasure.

You will need to reach the bottom level of the tomb. Start by running north and swing around into the right side room. From here there will be a stair well leading to the lower floors. Clear out the wraith in your way and you'll come face to face with the undead Ekhart. He can be talked down by answering a few questions. First tell him that he is wrong, Menno Coehoorn for the second, and that he died at Brenna. The lead commanders of the armies were Vandergrift and Seltkirk. Last, Bigerhorn was the kidnapper.

If you flub an answers, you will have to kill Ekhart's ghost. The enemy is weak to Yrden spells, allowing you to trap him and deal heavy damage with backstabs. However, be sure to keep your Quen spells up and roll often once the soul is loose. If you've upgraded violence and have a strong sword the ghost should die quickly. Either way, grab the banner from the tomb and travel towards Zoltan's location.

You can't get further into Vergen so you'll need to sneak through the mines. You will however now have the keys to get past these formerly locked gates. The mines are a crazed maze and very dark; stop and drink a cat potion to see in the dark. Head south, followed by north at the intersection. Take the north-east path here and loop around to the south. Next take the east path followed by the north-west path.

You'll be facing a tough monster ahead, so reapply a Rook and other potions before continuing ahead. the troll necrophage is strong but rather slow and lumbering. Use some vigor to arm your Quen spell, but mainly stick to placing Yrden traps. Roll around and use back-attacks from your silver sword to quickly murder the troll. After the battle you'll meet with Saskia who will provide you with the second relic.

For the last relic, return to the gates of Vergen and speak with Skallen Burdon. He will challenge you to dice poker and will give you the spearhead if you manage to win one match. Much as with real poker, you will want to aim for pairs and three of a kind. Hold on to any pairs you gain and re-roll ever other dice. With a few tries you should manage to beat Burdon.

Curses and Killers

Travel back through the cursed battlefield and back to the camp. Stop to talk to Roche and Dethmold, before informing the King of your progress. You will soon be taken back to Sabrina's execution site. Examine the book provided by Dethmold to view a diagram of the curse circle.

Head to the hilltop and instruct the king on where to pour the powder: first the petrified bread, the burnt tree, the raven's corpse, the sour milk, and finally back to the fairy ring.

Once the circle is set, the ritual will start. Help defend the king by fighting off wraiths. Arm your silver sword and quickly get Quen up. With Whirl and Venting you should have enough offense power to kill any enemies that approach you. Try to kill as many ghasts as possibly, but eventually Henselt will get the signal to end it all.

Back at the Kaedweni camp you'll need to rescue Henselt from some deadly assassins. Quickly complete the quick time events and get ready for a fight against two enemies. Use Quen and dodge as normal. The Aard and Yrden spells are also extremely useful and keeping one of the foes down or out of the way. Eventually Sile will stop the fighting and allows us to kill Auckers.

Speak to Dethmold and agree with his plans at necromancy. You will need to make a Gadwall potion to prepare you for the task. If you lack the formula or ingredients, speak with the potion seller outside the tent and he should be will to sell everything. Brew the potion and drink up. Talk to Dethmold to see Auckers' memories.

Follow behind Serrit as he makes his way through the mountains. Take note of the path as you will need to remember this location later. Stop and kill any harpies that get in your way. Since Auckers lacks Witcher magic, fight very defensively and let your partner take the brunt of the damage.

Once inside Letho's hideout, carefully follow Serrit and avoid the traps on the ground. If you spring one, You will be taken out of the dream state and will need to try again. Eventually you'll find Letho and will gain knowledge of the plan. You will next be in the camp right before Auckers' death. You don't need to succeed here, as simply walking towards the quest marker will complete the mission.

Retrace your steps back to the assassin hideout. If you've forgotten the location it's in the deep south, passed the bank just west of the Blue Stripes. There are golems and gargoyles inside the cave. They are powerful but rather slow. Use Quen for minor protection and continually beat down each enemy you encounter. Some of them you can stun lock be repeatedly pounding out fast attacks.

Talk to the dying Serrit and take his weapons. His silver sword is both powerful and has a chance at freezing enemies. Because of this critical effect it can sometimes be helpful even against human enemies. Return back to camp and you'll have the means of ending the curse completely.

Eternal Battle

You will be possessed by various spirits that will disable your witcher abilities such as magic and potions. You will first take the form of an Aedirnian soldier. Let your allies attack the Kaedweni soldiers while you concentrate solely on the standard barer. Parries and fast attacks will be your only means of dealing with the enemy.

You will next be in the form of a Kaedweni soldier marching back to the commander. However, your allies don't know that you're coming and will not stop their barrage of arrows. Use the barriers ahead to block the flaming arrows and dash quickly when the archers stop to reload. Eventually you'll meet up with Vandergrift and give a report.

You will now play as Seltkirk. There are many enemies, but the tactic remains the same for all non-Witcher fights: simply parry and counter with fast, swift attacks. Eventually we will come upon the Draug and be able to play as Geralt again. Kill the standard carrier and get ready for the boss.

Sabrina will have already started raining down fireballs, so most of the battlefield is unsafe. Additionally Vandergrift will call in archery fire and trebuchet stones every once in a while. The Quen spell will be enough to block these attacks. However, Vandergrift will also counter often when taking a defensive stance, so simply wait out the barrage before making an assault.

With a fully upgraded Quen spell and plenty of vigor you can look to avoid up to 15 attacks in a row. This can be very useful as each of Vandergrift's swings can be deadly. First concentrate on breaking the Draug's shield with repeated assaults. If you run low on vigor hide behind the various debris on the battlefield and wait for one or two bars to build up. Apply Quen again and hit Vandergrift with a three hit combo before retreating to gain more vigor.

It may take some time to whittle down Vandergrift's health, but using the magic shield-retreat method is very safe. After the battle you will play as once last ghost: a Kaedweni priest. Dodge Sabrina's fireballs and exit the mists to end the evil battlefield.

Battle for Vergen

You'll awaken in the brothel and have a short chat with Dandelion. He'll inform you of where some of the conspirators are meeting in the west. Once in control, leave the brothel and travel to the quest marker in the far south-west. You'll meet Roche here who will suggest heading back to the Blue Stripes' camp.

Upon arriving back at the camp you will be ambushed by the Kaedweni. Only four will attack at this time but they are armed with strong spears. Allow Roche to distract the enemies while you quickly cripple them with Yrden, followed by back-stabs. Head into the Kaedweni camp and you'll once gain be hit by more soldiers. Quickly get Quen up and let Roche distract the enemy. If you find that you're being surrounded, use Aard to knock the enemy back and regroup with Roche. As long as Roche keeps the enemies attention, you can swiftly kill the enemies one at a time.

After the battle locate Ves and she will report on what happened. It will now be time to chase after Henselt and into Vergen. The direct trail is not an option, so instead take the back roads through the southern mountains.

Along the roads to Vergen will encounter several trolls. It is not worth fighting them and instead we should speak to them and get them on our side. They will assist fighting the Kaedweni along the way and may even attack those within Vergen. The Soldiers might also be distracted by other enemies, such as rotfiends. Ignore these scuffles and dash towards the mines.

Travel to the room where you faced the necrophage from so long ago and you will do battle with Dethmold, Pangratt, and several mercenary soldiers. Dethmold is the biggest pest, so focusing attacks on him will be your top priority. You can't fully kill the wizard, but reducing his life bar will cause him to quit the battle.

Next, take on the non name mercs while Roche tanks Pangratt. The Aard spell is very useful for keeping the swarms of enemies staggered. As always keep up an upgraded Quen to block four to five attacks. Once you've kill the smaller soldiers, help Roche with Pangratt. Stab the enemy in the back and retreat again. Let Roche get the foe's attention again before coming in for another assault.

Pangratt will be down, but not fully out. Decide now if you want to kill him or not. Either way, you'll get some items off him. Exit the room and you'll meet with Zoltan again. Head up the stairs and to the rope bridge. You'll be separated from Roche and can make the choice to make a pit stop in helping Iorveth.

Even if you take the time to assist the elf, that won't change your main goal. Head towards Philipa's quarters and fight the golem here. The Quen sign and parrying will be the best bet for surviving. Surprisingly this beast is very weak to Igni and can be taken down if you've upgraded that spell. Otherwise stick to strong attacks from your silver sword.

You'll just miss the sorceress as she makes an escape. You will however be greeted by an angry Henselt. You will first need to kill two spear wielding guards. Aard or Igni should be your spell of choice, along with the standard Quen and parries. You will now face the king and two more knights. Kill the shield carriers first before dueling the king.

Quen with Venting and Whirl will be the best means of damaging all of the enemies at once. Remember that a good parry can stagger and the enemy will be open to counters. The king may have a good amount of life, but he doesn't attack with anything special. After the battle Roche will appear and you will need to decide Henselt's fate. It is prudent to let the king live, but it's up to you if you wish to kill the lord.

Redania's Plans

You'll be heading to Loc Muinne with Roche at the start of the chapter. Along the way you'll do battle with various swarms of harpies. With Roche at your side there shouldn't be much trouble killing these beasts. Stick with Quen for Protection and Aard as your main offense spell.

When you reach the gate you'll encounter members of the Redania's army and will be instructed to meet with the king Radovid. However, stop and take the time to shop around the town square. Potions and materials will help greatly, but what you really need is a new silver sword. Talk to Bras the magic smith and he will sell you plans for the Zekkikanterment, which is one of the best swords in the game. However, the materials for this sword are a bit rare with the likes of Dragon Scales.

Alternately you can undergo a side mission for Bras that yields the Addan Deith, another powerful silver sword. Check the message postings by the kitchen and accept the gargoyle contract. Speak to Bras again and he will give you some more details. You can also get a few more clues by purchasing rune books from Lockhart in the town square. However, they aren't required so feel free to save a few Orens.

Travel back to the main gate and take the southern path. You'll know you're in the right place when you're ambushed by a group of gargoyles. They can be defeated quickly by using Quen with Venting along with strong sword attacks boosted by Whirl. Once they are cleared, enter the room below. The solution to the rune puzzle is randomized, but the answer will be inside the tome if you purchased it. A common answer to the puzzle is the rune on the left "Weather", the rune on the floor "Art", the rune by the chest "Animal", and last the rune near the entrance "Time". If done correctly, the chest will be freed and you can take the contents inside.

Next head back to the main gate and take the passage to the north. You will once again fight a few gargoyles on the outside and a golem in the room itself. Quen is still the best spell for staying invincible while adding in damage. With a fully upgraded Quen and vigor you can easily absorb 20-30 attacks in a row. If you recalled the rune's shape, a common answer to the puzzle is "Weather", "Animal", "Time", and "Art" which may be located on the floor to the left, the wall on the right, the floor on the right, and the wall on the left. If it is different, consult one of the bought rune books.

Last head for the theatre off in the west and you'll find the third room. Once again deal with the monsters inside and solve the final rune puzzle. The positioning of the runes and the correct answer is once again random. However, the most common answer is "Animal", "Art", "Time", and "Weather". Once the runes are sealed and the final chest is freed, grab the contents inside. Among the rewards includes the Addan Deith, among the best weapons against the later bosses in the game. Return to Bras to also receive a few more Orens.

When ready, rejoin Roche and talk to the king of Redania. You now must make a choice: save Temeria or find Triss. You cannot complete both, so choose wisely.

Where is Triss?

If you ignore Roche's advice about saving Temeria you can instead locate Triss. Shilard and the Nilfgaard forces are holding her captive at their camp. Head over to the entrance and you'll automatically take the ambassador prisoner.

However, the soldiers have no interest in keeping the noble alive and kill him quickly. With no bargaining chip, fight your way through the knights. As always the Quen spell is your best option, but don't forget about Aard in taking out these large groups. Concentrate on the enemies using only one handed swords, the two handers next, and finally the enemies using shields.

After this wave of enemies is dead, loot their bodies and travel to the left. There is a chest here that contains a powerful steel sword, the Nilfgaardian Harpy. Equip the new blade and take out the two bowmen above you. Take the time to drink down fresh potions as the next few fights will be taxing.

Drop down into the shallow waters and you will face two more waves of enemies. With this many enemies both the Aard and Igni sign will work best at keeping the guards staggered. Due to their armor focus on strong attacks instead of swift ones. As always attack the ranged and defensively weak enemies first, followed by anyone with a shield.

After this fight, climb the wall on the left and you'll face Matsen and his bodyguards. Kill the mage first as his spells are the most deadly obstacle. Get Quen up fast and use Aard to keep the Nilfgaards down. After the mage is dead, kill the bowmen, sword fencers, and finally the shield users. Last fight Matsen himself with Quen and Yrden to keep him trapped in place. Be sure to also loot the fallen bodies as you may receive a powerful piece of armor.

With the keys to the prison in hand, head to the cells to finally find Triss. Speak with here about the past events and she will tell you what really took place. Return back to the Loc Muinne amphitheatre to start up the end of the game.

For Temeria

If you instead listened to Roche and want to help Temeria, follow the Blue Stripe over to the sewer system. Here there will be two guards that can be subdued with Axii. Pass through the gate, drink your potions, and get ready for battle.

Roche will take the high ground and kill the archers in the area. This leaves you free to fight the swordsmen below without fear of ranged attacks. As normal, keep up Quen and use Aard for crowd control. With enough Venting and Whirl the enemy should perish without much trouble.

Once the first wave is dead, the shield warriors to the north will move from their defensive position and attack you outright. Parrying and countering is the best strategy here, as their shields are too beefy to just wildly swing. On the plus side Roche will steal a crossbow and rain down arrows on the enemy. His attacks are strong, but have a long delay. Still, it's enough to squash the Kaedweni.

Roche will now toss the crossbow and meet you below. You'll be up against Dethmold's apprentice and a few more guards. To cover yourself from the mage's attacks, head below the archway he stands over; this will obscure him from your view. After killing the first set of guards, the mage will enter the fight.

However, ignore him and take the second wave of enemies that comes to his aid. As long as you keep up Quen you will take very little damage. Wait out the wizard's own Quen spell and keep rolling his Igni. Once his shield is down, hit him hard with strong attacks.

You'll now have the keys to Dethmold's room. Enter inside and Roche will do as he feels without much input from you. Use Dethmold's keys to open his safe and steal a few items, including a new steel sword. Next, you will have to decide Anais' fate: let Roche keep his word and give her to Redania, or bring her back to the Temerian council.

As you exit the stronghold, you will run into a group of Redania troops. If you agreed to give them Anais, they will escort you back. If you reneged on the deal, they will openly attack you. They aren't any more special than any other fight. If you remembered to get that new steel sword, each knight should die quickly enough. Regardless of how the Redanians treat you, head to the amphitheatre.

Final Battles

Upon arriving at the amphitheatre you'll meet with Triss or Roche (depending on your previous choices). Make sure you have all of the potions, weapons, and armor you need as you're about to hit the final parts of the game. Once ready, head inside and listen to the discussion between the three kingdoms.

Regardless of your choices, Sile will be charged with treason and will retaliate by summoning Saesenthessis the dragon. Dash up the stairs and into the tower. The stair will start to crumble, forcing you to keep moving quickly. However, don't blindly run forward, as the dragon will poke its head out and attack with its fire breath. Keep an eye on the floor and the walls and you should make it to the top of the tower without much problems.

Sile will make a grand speech, however her teleportation device has been tampered with. Free her to gain some more info about Yennifer, or simply wait and watch the sorceress explode into meat chunks. Either way, Saesenthessis will bust through the wall and attack.

The Dragon

Keep Quen up at all times. This will negate the fire damage and even protect you from two or three melee attacks. Be defensive for the most part as the dragon can hit for almost 100 damage (before your armor bonus is added). If you made time to build the Zekkikanterment or locate the Addan Deith, you can do some serious damage with your strong attacks. Wait until your foe breathes fire and you'll be able to get in a two or three hit combo.

After half of its life meter is down, complete a quick time event and head to the roof for the second part of the match. The strategy remains the same, but this time the dragon has a full 360 degree circle to attack from, requiring rolling much more often. Always wait for the dragon to use its breath attack, allowing you to effortlessly block with Quen and deal heavy damage from your silver sword. Once its life meter is nearly depleted, get ready for once last quick time event. Afterwards, you must decide what do with the dragon. Unfortunately, due to the fact that you sided with Roche instead of Iorveth there is no way to break the curse, leaving you only with the options to killing the beast or walk away.

Letho

You'll meet with Triss or Roche again. This time kill off the remaining bandits that are pillaging the ruins of the city. You may part ways with one of your old companions at this point and march off for a final confrontation with Letho.

You can ask the fellow witcher about the whole truth and Nilfgaard's schemes. If you like what you here you have the option of letting the giant go free. However, you can also opt for one last duel.

If you pick the latter option you will fight Letho one-on-one. He fights nearly the same as the encounter in chapter one, however this time you'll need to take down his own life bar. With so many more skills learned, killing Letho is much easier than the previous fight. Keep Quen up and use Yrden to trap him in place. If he puts up Quen, avoid attacking him directly and wait it out. Aard is still a great means of keeping him stun locked and unable to hurt you properly. As long as your steel sword does 45 or more, putting Letho down with strong blows will take little effort. Upon concluding your business with Letho, you will complete the Witcher 2 through Roche's story path.

Aedirn, Prelude to War

If you sided with Iorveth and the Scoia'tael you'll start off the chapter as Stennis, prince of Aedirn. You'll be approaching a meeting between king Henselt and the Aedirn nobles that are selling out the country. The king of Kaedwen and his forces will openly attack you and your allies. Much like controlling Iorveth, Stennis swordplay's just as Geralt but lacks magic signs. Concentrate on the king while Saskia and the rest of your allies stall the troops and mages.

You'll be back as the Witcher again. This time you'll be surrounded by ghosts and draugs. Let Iorveth take down the smaller soldiers, while you go for the meatier enemy with a large shield. Stick to Quen for protection and Aard to keep the enemy away from you. If you've been leveling Whirl and Venting then this fight should be little trouble.

Philippa will now lead you through the cursed battlefield, destroying many foes with her bolts. However, her spells won't be able to catch every foe, leaving you and Iorveth to deal with the stragglers. You will want to concentrate on the wraiths that actively attack Philippa, while leaving the foot soldiers for Iorveth. Because you have so many allies, feel free to let the rest of your team do the majority of the work.

Soon you'll be brought to Vergen where you will be escorted by Skalen Burdon. Follow him to the inn where he will show your room. Afterwards head to the council chamber to hear about Saskia's plans. The rebel leader will end up drinking poison, forcing you to search for a cure.

Immortelle

The first piece of the antidote is immortelle, which grows inside the Vergen mines. Head to the inn and speak with the dwarves Zoltan and Yarpen. They will join your effort to find the cure and lead you to the mine entrance. Be sure to have a few cat and swallows before entering the caverns.

The mine is in near darkness, so the vision bonus of the cat potions will help immensely inside. You will also have a number of allied dwarves, making the combat rather simple. You will be fighting mostly normal and greater rotfiends inside. Remember that they explode upon death, so roll away quickly after killing each of them.

You'll want to head to the far west nook of the mine where a dead body rests. Search the corpse and you'll recover a key to the upper shaft. With this item you can now proceed to the north-east portion of the mines. Travel up what appears to be a dead end path to the north and you find another body and the middle shaft key.

Use this new key to open the door in the center of the map. In this newly opened room will be a number of powerful weapons to loot and the third body containing the lower shaft key. Exit back out of the room and take the path slightly to the west. This passage will spiral around to the south east where the immortelle grows.

The plant is heavily guarded by a bullivore and more rotfiends. Quickly get up Quen and let your allies distract the fiends. Your job will be to stun, trap and beat the much larger bullivore. The Yrden sign is very important in order to keep the beast under control. Also, if you time it correctly, the poison released from the rotfiends may damage the bullivore further.

Once the enemies are dead grab the immortelle and other treasures. Among the prizes from the mine are plans for the red meteorite silver sword, a good upgrade for later on. Once ready, make your way out of the mine and kill any enemies that may have respawned along the way.

Harpy Nest

If you bring the immortelle to Philippa she will let you know of a lead for the next ingredient. Locate Cecil Burdon in his home and ask where to find a magic stone. He will suggest heading to the tower out in the forest.

Before leaving be sure to upgrade your weapons at the merchants. If you gained the red meteorite silver sword blueprints from the mine, be sure to have a smith forge the blade. Head out the back gate of Vergen and you will be approached by four Scoia'tael.

It turns out that not all of Iorveth's men are loyal. Start by killing the archers, followed by the dual wielder, and last the dwarf with an axe. As long as you keep up Quen they shouldn't be able to harm you.

Now, head across the shallow part of the lack and up the hill. If you are attacked by harpies or soldiers be sure to kill them, as you cannot jump across the cliffs during combat. After leaping over a few gaps you'll come to the tower Cecil spoke of.

You will be attacked by a group of dangerous harpies led by a celaeno harpy. Quickly use Aard to disrupt the group and put up Quen for protection. Kill each of the smaller harpies first, before moving onto the stronger leader. Afterwards gather up the stone inside the tower and head back to Vergen.

Talk to both Philippa and Cecil and you will learn that the stone you gathered isn't powerful enough and will instead need to travel to the harpy nest. Convince Cecil to give you the key and move out.

As the name implies, the harpy lair is filled with the beasts. Make sure all of your items, potions, and traps and specifically built for fighting such monsters. Because they are constantly flying, harpies are resistant or outright immune to some common tactics.

You'll need to explore the lair for various dream crystals, one of which will belong to a dragon. Others also exist, including dreams from Iorveth and peasant's. Also be sure to loot the dead soldier inside. His Kaedweni armor has some good defense and will be needed for the next encounter.

At the end of the lair will be a projector containing Letho's dream. Drink up some potions and set traps before grabbing the dream. This will unleash an army of celaeno and their queen, totally at almost eight foes.

The traps you set up before will help greatly in wading out the heard. Use Aard to further bully the group of enemies and Quen with venting to counter with damage. Due to the limited amount of room, run around the pillar in the center and force the harpies chase you in a never ending circle. This will give you time to restore vigor and lost health before re-engaging the swarm. As with most boss fights, kill the weaker enemies before taking on the meatier queen.

Once the harpies are dead, place the various crystals in the projector to find the dragon's dream. With this item in hand, return back to Vergen and report to Philippa.

Trolls and Mercenaries

Travel to the inn and talk to the drunken dwarf at the bar. He has some information about Triss, but will only give it if you buy him a beer. Bribe him with around 20 orens to find out where your mage friend is. This will bring you towards the gullies outside of Vergen.

Taking the roads out of Vergen will lead us to a troll that was taking care of Triss. You have the option of killing him, but it much more helpful to chat with him and agree to find his wife. After speaking with the monster, head up further through the gullies and you'll find the she-troll being attacked by Pangratt and his mercenaries.

You can cut a deal with the humans and kill the troll, or stay true to your word and free the troll. Either way it is a fight and you will have one or several allies on your side. As normal, set up Quen and let your partner(s) tank the brunt of the damage. Your job will simply be rolling around getting in back attacks and quick slashes.

After either the she-troll is dead or Pangratt flees, return to the troll and report about what happened. If you killed his wife he will now attack you and fights just as she did. However if you reunited the trolls they will hand over Triss' bandana and become allies of Vergen.

Peasant Uprising

Upon returning to Philippa with Triss' bandana you will learn that the peasant's are uprising against Prince Stennis. The sorceress will remind you that you need royal blood to cure Saskia. This can either be from Stennis or Henselt.

Head to the prince's chambers where you will hear the statements of the nobles, commoners, soldiers and even the prince himself. You can investigate and interview around five people before you are asked to make judgment.

The prince himself doesn't have much info, neither do the actual peasants trying to lynch him. You can get a better idea by talking to the smith that made Saskia's cup and the servant that poured her wine. Overall the clues you can find don't reveal the true criminal.

You can make a choice to either lynch Stennis or allow him a fair trial. The first choice will provide you with royal blood, while the second means you'll need to get the blood from the Kaedweni king. While this quest is open ended within Chapter 2, later in Chapter 3 you can discover that the prince is in fact guilty.

Kaedwen and Nilfgaard

You'll be heading to the other side of the battlefield to locate Triss and maybe even some royal blood. First talk to Philippa and she will agree to escort you through the mists. Exit out of Vergen and into the eternal battle.

As with the start of the chapter, you will have to remain inside to the bubble to stay protected. Also, because Iorveth isn't with you, it will become your duty to actively protect Philippa. First kill any large draugs that appear, followed by the smaller wraiths that chain up the mage.

Eventually you'll emerge on the other side and will chat briefly with Roche. There are two means of getting to the Nilfgaard camp: sneak through the Kaedweni camp or bribe the brothel on the hill.

The brothel requires a large amount of orens to get by, so it's recommended that you save the money and instead take the stealth option. First head to the north-eastern shores and enter the Kaedwen camp from the side.

You will need to sneak quietly, as if you are discovered an automatic game over scene will play. Wait for the first set of drunkards to exit the pub before moving forward. Move behind the tents and into the armor shop on the side. Around four soldiers will enter from the main gate and make their way to the center of the camp. After they have stopped, knock out the lone soldier outside the armory and continue to the west behind the tents.

Now, wait for the peeing guard to finish up and return to the fire in the center of camp. Keep moving forward and a chef will spot you. Quickly use Axii on him to force the chef asleep. To the right around three more guards will enter from the west. After they have ushered in, take this exit and knock out the guard on the hill. Last head down the mountain to reach the caverns.

There are a few minor rotfiends inside; nothing really troublesome or new after your adventure in the mines. Continue towards the Nilfgaard camp and you'll be captured by Shilard. After a few more scenes you will team up with Roche and Ves to take down the remaining troops.

Let the Blue Stripes tank the majority of the enemies while you get up Quen for protection. Kill the swordsmen first before moving on to the mage. He can use Quen and a powerful Igni that does additional burn damage. Keep your own Quen up and wait until the mage's shield disappears. Now use Aard to knock the boss down and quickly get in a three hit swift combo.

Once the mage is dead, Roche will help you through the Kaedwen camp. If you let Stennis die, you will need to play along as a prisoner and answers two questions from the gate guard. The first is "Play", while the second is "Remain silent".

If you let Stennis live, you will instead to need to sneak over to Henselt's tent by moving behind the two tent's on the right. Behind the tent will be barrels that can be destroyed with Aard. This will distract the guards and allow you to barging with Henselt for his blood.

Either way you'll be outside the camp. Meet up with Philippa again and head back to Vergen to heal Saskia.

Symbol of Death

With Saskia back to full health it's now a matter of stopping the cursed battlefield. You will need to acquire a few relics in order to stop the eternal battle. Speaking with Philippa and Saskia will provide three of these items: Vandergrift's sword, Seltkirk's armor, and the magic medallion. The last piece of the puzzle is the Dun Banner's standard in the forest catacombs.

You might encounter enemies on the way, but nothing out of the ordinary. Once arriving at the forest hillside, enter the carven below and deeper into the catacombs. Various walls can be shattered with the Aard spell; most of these rooms only have junk, but a few can be explored for extra treasure.

You will need to reach the bottom level of the tomb. Start by running north and swing around into the right side room. From here there will be a stair well leading to the lower floors. Clear out the wraith in your way and you'll come face to face with the undead Ekhart. He can be talked down by answering a few questions. First tell him that he is wrong, Menno Coehoorn for the second, and that he died at Brenna. The lead commanders of the armies were Vandergrift and Seltkirk. Last, Bigerhorn was the kidnapper.

If you flub an answers, you will have to kill Ekhart's ghost. The enemy is weak to Yrden spells, allowing you to trap him and deal heavy damage with backstabs. However, be sure to keep your Quen spells up and roll often once the soul is loose. If you've upgraded violence and have a strong sword the ghost should die quickly. Either way, grab the banner from the tomb and travel back to Vergen.

If you haven't claimed the other three relics yet, talk to Saskia again. Speak with Philippa one last time to start the heated cured battle.

Eternal Battle

You will be possessed by various spirits that will disable your witcher abilities such as magic and potions. You will first take the form of an Aedirnian soldier. Let your allies attack the Kaedweni soldiers while you concentrate solely on the standard barer. Parries and fast attacks will be your only means of dealing with the enemy.

You will next be in the form of a Kaedweni soldier marching back to the commander. However, your allies don't know that you're coming and will not stop their barrage of arrows. Use the barriers ahead to block the flaming arrows and dash quickly when the archers stop to reload. Eventually you'll meet up with Vandergrift and give a report.

You will now play as Seltkirk. There are many enemies, but the tactic remains the same for all non-Witcher fights: simply parry and counter with fast, swift attacks. Eventually we will come upon the Draug and be able to play as Geralt again. Kill the standard carrier and get ready for the boss.

Sabrina will have already started raining down fireballs, so most of the battlefield is unsafe. Additionally Vandergrift will call in archery fire and trebuchet stones every once in a while. The Quen spell will be enough to block these attacks. However, Vandergrift will also counter often when taking a defensive stance, so simply wait out the barrage before making an assault.

With a fully upgraded Quen spell and plenty of vigor you can look to avoid up to 15 attacks in a row. This can be very useful as each of Vandergrift's swings can be deadly. First concentrate on breaking the Draug's shield with repeated assaults. If you run low on vigor hide behind the various debris on the battlefield and wait for one or two bars to build up. Apply Quen again and hit Vandergrift with a three hit combo before retreating to gain more vigor.

It may take some time to whittle down Vandergrift's health, but using the magic shield-retreat method is very safe. After the battle you will play as once last ghost: a Kaedweni priest. Dodge Sabrina's fireballs and exit the mists to end the evil battlefield.

Vergen Under Siege

With the curse lifted, Henselt will attack Vergen. They will first strike from the main gate, but Zoltan has an idea about how to stop the first wave. Set up Quen and head up the stairs on the right. There will be a wheel here that can be turned to release the lava into the main entrance. As long as Quen is on, the enemy forces won't be able to stop the quick time event.

After more scenes you will be on one of the Vergen walls along with Saskia, Zoltan and many more allied soldiers. The Kaedweni will prop up two ladders and many enemy soldiers will start to climb up. The allied archers will provide some damage as the enemy ascends, but it's up to you when it becomes a melee.

Due to the amount of allies, you really don't need to use much strategy. The enemy will be constantly distracted, allowing you to get in many backstabs and brutalize with Igni and Aard. You can typically get in six or more hits on an enemy before they will even realize you assaulted them. Of course by then your foe might be too busy being dead to retaliate.

After two waves on the wall, Saskia will ask you to escort her into the mine. She'll lead the way so simply follow behind her. The mines have already been breeched by the Kaedweni and you'll need to clear out a room or two of soldiers. They are easily downed with Aard and should die within a few heavy swings of your steel sword.

Within the large hub of the mine with be Dethmold and more soldiers. Get up Quen and let Saskia tank the vast majority of the troops. With luck she will kite them to the side of the room, allowing you time to pick them off one by one. While Dethmold is a big threat during the battle, killing him isn't required. It's more tactical to roll out of range of the mage's spells and concentrate on the men-at-arms. After the foes are down to only two soldiers a scene will play and the fight will end.

Next you will be returned to the wall for another wave of soldiers. The strategy for defending the wall is exactly the same. Your allies are numerous so there is little effort at mutilating the enemy. After the first wave is cleared, follow Zoltan and meet with Iorveth. Cover Zoltan's back as he destroys the gate controls, ending the war.

After the terms of the battle have been met, explore Philippa's room and talk to Iorveth to complete the chapter.

Wanted Man

You'll be heading to Loc Muinne with Iorveth at the start of the chapter. Along the way you'll do battle with various swarms of harpies. With Iorveth at your side there shouldn't be much trouble killing these beasts. Stick with Quen for Protection and Aard as your main offense spell.

Since you joined the rebels and abandoned Roche you have no safe means of entering the city. Although your elf friend makes a suggestion of going towards the front gate, this will lead you into a fight with nearly 20 guards. The battle is near impossible, and even if you do manage to win there is no way to actually open the gate.

Instead, follow Iorveth through the underground caves to enter the city. The caves of course have monsters inside, including the old Flotsam favorite the Arachas. Just like the previous encounter use Yrden to trap the beast and safely kill it with Igni. After exiting the caverns you'll face more harpies, which are still simple while with Iorveth. Hop over the city walls to enter inside Loc Muinne.

While you're in the southern section of town with a partner, it's a good time to start a side mission for Bras that yields the Addan Deith, a powerful silver sword. Because it's not safe to freely run around in this route, you'll be doing this mission a bit out of order. Move just slightly west and you'll find an underground nook.

You'll know you're in the right place when you're ambushed by a group of gargoyles. They can be defeated quickly by using Quen with Venting along with strong sword attacks boosted by Whirl. Once they are cleared, enter the room below. The solution to the rune puzzle is randomized, but the answer will be inside the tome that can purchased in the town square. A common answer to the puzzle is the rune on the left "Weather", the rune on the floor "Art", the rune by the chest "Animal", and last the rune near the entrance "Time". If done correctly, the chest will be freed and you can take the contents inside.

Next head to the main gate and take the passage to the north. Iorveth will take off for now and you should do your best to avoid the town patrols. Head slightly north and you will once again fight a few gargoyles on the outside and a golem in the room itself. Quen is still the best spell for staying invincible while adding in damage. With a fully upgraded Quen and vigor you can easily absorb 20-30 attacks in a row. If you recalled the rune's shape, a common answer to the puzzle is "Weather", "Animal", "Time", and "Art" which may be located on the floor to the left, the wall on the right, the floor on the right, and the wall on the left. If it is different, consult one of the bought rune books.

Once again circle to the west and you'll enter the town square. Check the message postings by the kitchen and accept the gargoyle contract proper. Speak to Bras and he will give you some more details. You can also get a few more clues by purchasing rune books from Lockhart in the town square. However, they aren't required so feel free to save a few Orens.

Last head for the theatre off in the west and you'll find the third room. Once again deal with the monsters inside and solve the final rune puzzle. The positioning of the runes and the correct answer is once again random. However, the most common answer is "Animal", "Art", "Time", and "Weather". Once the runes are sealed and the final chest is freed, grab the contents inside. Among the rewards includes the Addan Deith, among the best weapons against the later bosses in the game. Return to Bras to also receive a few more Orens.

To the Dungeon

With your new powerful weapon, any monster in the game will fall easily. You now need to find Philippa. The fastest way is to get captured by the guards, but this will leave you unarmed and at a grave disadvantage. Instead travel over to the tower just north-east of the town square. Nearby will be a door leading down to the sewers below.

Since you have the Addan Deith the enemies in here will be easy. However, still keep up Quen as with every other fight. There are mostly rotfiends inside but you will also have to deal with a bullivore or two. Eventually you'll arrive inside the Nilfgaard dungeon where Shilard is punishing Philippa.

Switch to your steel sword and cast Quen. You'll be fighting a gang of several Nilfgaard soldiers. However both Venting and Whirl will be able to clear out the room quickly. After the fight enter the cell and you'll automatically knock out Shilard. Chat with Philippa and you will need to decide what is more important to you: Find Triss or save Saskia. You can't have it both ways, so choose carefully.

Spellbreaker

If you agree to save Saskia you will escort Philippa out of her cell. Travel back down into the sewers and Iorveth will come to your aid. He'll switch duties with you and prod Philippa. It's your job now to clear out the remaining rotfiends blocking your way. They are nothing new, so simply use Venting and Whirl to kill them with your strong silver sword.

You'll eventually end up inside Philippa's quarters where you will be attacked by two gargoyles. Once again they should be no real threat. Keep Quen up and use Aard to suppress their attacks. Once the enemies are dead travel to the roof to find the chest containing the magic dagger.

Head back down the stairs and search for Philippa's notes. They are located on the desk in her bed room. Go into your inventory and look at the diagram. It will have the numbers 1 through 4 around a box, and a 5 in the center. Return to the room and trace the pattern from the notes: first the lower left corner, the upper left corner, the upper right corner, the lower right corner, and finally the center.

The chest has one final trap inside: a golem guarding it. You will be trapped within the magic circle, preventing Iorveth from coming to your aid. However the golem isn't very hard with the Addan Deith. Put up Quen and beat the monster around with both Aard and Igni. If you manage to get behind or on the sides of the monster also get in a few strong attacks with your sword.

After the battle head to the Loc Muinne amphitheatre to start up the end of the game.

Where is Triss?

If you leave Philippa in her cage you will instead go after Triss. You'll automatically take ambassador Shilard prisoner. Head up the stairs and into the main level of the camp.

However, the soldiers have no interest in keeping the noble alive and kill him quickly. With no bargaining chip, fight your way through the knights. As always the Quen spell is your best option, but don't forget about Aard in taking out these large groups. Concentrate on the enemies using only one handed swords, the two handers next, and finally the enemies using shields.

After this wave of enemies is dead, loot their bodies and travel to the left. There is a chest here that contains a powerful steel sword, the Nilfgaardian Harpy. Equip the new blade and take out the two bowmen above you. Take the time to drink down fresh potions as the next few fights will be taxing.

Drop down into the shallow waters and you will face two more waves of enemies. With this many enemies both the Aard and Igni sign will work best at keeping the guards staggered. Due to their armor focus on strong attacks instead of swift ones. As always attack the ranged and defensively weak enemies first, followed by anyone with a shield.

After this fight, climb the wall on the left and you'll face Matsen and his bodyguards. Kill the mage first as his spells are the most deadly obstacle. Get Quen up fast and use Aard to keep the Nilfgaards down. After the mage is dead, kill the bowmen, sword fencers, and finally the shield users. Last fight Matsen himself with Quen and Yrden to keep him trapped in place. Be sure to also loot the fallen bodies as you may receive a powerful piece of armor.

With the keys to the prison in hand, head to the cells to finally find Triss. Speak with her about the past events and she will tell you what really took place. Return back to the Loc Muinne amphitheatre to start up the end of the game.

Final Battles

Upon arriving at the amphitheatre you'll meet with Triss or Iorveth (depending on your previous choices). If you picked the former you will also have to kill two more basic guards. Make sure you have all of the potions, weapons, and armor you need as you're about to hit the final parts of the game. Once ready, head inside and listen to the discussion between the three kingdoms.

Regardless of your choices, Sile will be charged with treason and will retaliate by summoning Saesenthessis the dragon. Dash up the stairs and into the tower. The stairs will start to crumble, forcing you to keep moving quickly. However, don't blindly run forward, as the dragon will poke its head out and attack with its fire breath. Keep an eye on the floor and the walls and you should make it to the top of the tower without much problems.

Sile will make a grand speech, however her teleportation device has been tampered with. Free her to gain some more info about Yennifer, or simply wait and watch the sorceress explode into meat chunks. Either way, Saesenthessis will bust through the wall and attack.

The Dragon

Keep Quen up at all times. This will negate the fire damage and even protect you from two or three melee attacks. Be defensive for the most part as the dragon can hit for almost 100 damage (before your armor bonus is added). If you made time to build the Zekkikanterment or locate the Addan Deith, you can do some serious damage with your strong attacks. Wait until your foe breathes fire and you'll be able to get in a two or three hit combo.

After half of its life meter is down, complete a quick time event and head to the roof for the second part of the match. The strategy remains the same, but this time the dragon has a full 360 degree circle to attack from, requiring rolling much more often. Always wait for the dragon to use its breath attack, allowing you to effortlessly block with Quen and deal heavy damage from your silver sword. Once its life meter is nearly depleted, get ready for once last quick time event. Afterwards, you must decide what do with the dragon. If you sided with Philippa earlier you will break the curse on Saskia. However, if you went for Triss your only options are to kill or walk away from the dragon.

Letho

You'll meet with Triss or Iorveth again. This time kill off the remaining bandits that are pillaging the ruins of the city. You may part ways with one of your old companions at this point and march off for a final confrontation with Letho.

You can ask the fellow witcher about the whole truth and Nilfgaard's schemes. If you like what you here you have the option of letting the giant go free. However, you can also opt for one last duel.

If you pick the latter option you will fight Letho one-on-one. He fights nearly the same as the encounter in chapter one, however this time you'll need to take down his own life bar. With so many more skills learned, killing Letho is much easier than the previous fight. Keep Quen up and use Yrden to trap him in place. If he puts up Quen, avoid attacking him directly and wait it out. Aard is still a great means of keeping him stun locked and unable to hurt you properly. As long as your steel sword does 45 or more, putting Letho down with strong blows will take little effort. Upon concluding your business with Letho, you will complete the Witcher 2 through Iorveth's story path.

I really need help here, when you're in Vergen and you see an elf by a billboard, he gives you a side quest to soem tombs, can anyone help me find those tombs again, I can't remember where they are and I won't be able to continue the quest to help Saskia.

No mention whatsoever of the odd number of immortelle petals that can be harvested. That's the sole reason I'm looking this quest up.

Who ever really needs a walkthrough of this? It's flippin' straightforward. Typical route in an RPG, go the path least likely to take you to your objective. At the least, you'll get all the loot in an organized fashion. As it is here, it's actually phased, through lock and key. But there's nothing to it, really, if you run into a locked door, take the next path. Spam Z when it's time ta loot! Really, nothing to it.

i really had high hopes for this game and for the most part it was pretty fun up until the Kayran battle then the qte fails miserably and even thoough i have killed everything single tentacle i keep dropping off the one that im riding on and the monster never dies. i am about to delete this game from my pc and call it quits, fed up which sucks as this was a Christmas present and i love these kind of games but after killing multiple tentacles and not gettting through ive about had it :(

@PooyaOstadpour
What are you on about? Witcher 2 has been out for PC for over an year, it has been cracked day one.
For Xbox it doesn't matter, all Modded XBOX's can play it. Must be some other reason.

When Phillipa is escorting you through the mist as an owl (all three times) fighting with the heavily armored Draug that appear is a waste of time... Just leap from Wraith to Wraith and avoid the Draug entirely... as soon as Phillipa is freed, she'll blast the Draug to bits. Takes only a minute or so to get moving again that way... :)

@TrueProphecy22
the first time for me was hard too until i took the right path (and the others took the left path) :D and now i finish that part every time without issue (and no death) , hell after the first playtrough the game is easy even on hard except for the operator
When encountering Letho for the first time use grenades and trowing knifes and the quen sign(verry easy to kill) .

8 times out of 10 those dragon's flames at the beginning have incinerated me. Rolling doesn't seem to help. The two times I did make it through the flames without dying on the other side, I ended up skewered on the second group by the portcullis.

@ChristysXmas
Why does fame equal skill?
Also, the fight with Letho was placed to make you a much better fighter (Witcher). I don't know about you but after that fight i had learned a lot about how to fight and how to combine skills much more effectively.
Lastly, how ridiculously awful would any game be if you beat challenges effortlessly just because you think you're supposed to?

Anyone wonder why this Geralt is so ugly compared to his profile in Witcher 1? He is so much fatter and his hair is terrible with the ponytail - ok, I know it doesn't mean much when you play the game, but after been hooked on playing the first Witcher it came as a shock - did they change game designers? Love the fact that one can stack in the inventory - which one couldn't do in the first game, but there are still a few things better in 1 than in 2 - Thanks for the entertainment

The fight against Letho at the end of Chapter 1 is the most ridiculous fight in the whole game. I'm not talking about its difficulty, as the difficulty is fine for a boss fight. But when Geralt of Rivia, one of the best Witchers, faced his fellow Witcher Letho (who was certainly not so famous as Geralt was) in a one-on-one duel, his skills and strength were pathetically weaker than his opponent. The fight felt like some kid was trying to beat a master swordsman, not one between two best Witchers (heck even a girl like Alice Liddell could put up a much better fight with her Vorpal Blade). I did manage to defeat Letho, but after it I didn't feel anything to be proud of, just the disappointment on how Geralt got his fake fame as a top Witcher. At least give him some excuse to be so weak, like badly injured or something.

Nice walkthrough of course, but owners of the premium or collectors edition of the witcher 2 gets an offical game guide including the game package. That game guide is also very good guiding you through all path's of the main quest and every side quests also informing you for all important consequenses of choices. I used it and it was very helpfull.

@Gnidleif
It gets easier as you get stronger because it's supposed to. As you progress, you get stronger and gain new abilities, so it makes sense that the fights should become easier.Later on, the hard fights are either with bosses, new monsters or with large groups of combined soldier classes (footman, shield knights, dual handed and sorcerers). I agree that the first fight with Letho was a pain in the ass, but it also was the best fight in the game. Knowing that the slightest error might cost you your life keeps you concentrated and focused on evading and counter-attacking (some fights aren't meant to be an all out charge and brawl, because the opponent is, to put it simple, stronger). Sitting around and watching characters talk for fifteen minutes is necessary in this kind of game. It's a complex story that should be explained thoroughly (it was here that the first game failed). It's not a perfect game, but it's the best that has come out in a while.

I don't know why people keep saying this game is good because it's hard. It's not hard because of good design, it's hard because of bad design. Having a tutorial where you can do the different parts in whatever order you want when you start the game might sound cool, but not warning the player that starting with the third step might be a little difficult, I wasn't even aware that I was choosing a part of the tutorial to play when I chose between those four options. The game also has a crappy difficulty curve, with it starting out incredibly "hard" (if you measure difficulty around how many times you randomly die as you try to read the tutorial text WHILE running from a big dragon), and then gets incredibly simple as to the point where all you have to do is roll and hit a few times for enemies to go down. The way the game tells the plot is also very bad, I don't wanna sit fifteen minutes straight watching a movie of characters doing things while playing a game, but if I don't do that, there's no way for me to know what I'm actually doing in the game.

Nowadays games are far too easy. I remember playing when I was a kid and video games were much harder back then. I guess it's because they want to make the game more accessible for casual gamers but in doing so, the game loses depth. I played the witcher 2 in hard mode on the first try and I can say it was really rewarding. It's better to play a game that's challenging than a game that just lets you breeze through the whole thing. I hate the way Bethesda deals with difficulty. Matching the opponents strength to your level makes the process of leveling up obsolete. It gives you no reason to go out to the wilderness to kill monsters or explore because you can beat the game in level 1 if you feel like it.
By the way, you can kill pretty much anything in "The Witcher 2" if you roll around and attack from the back. 200% of damage is tough xD

Difficulty of the game is unstable and unbalance. I mean In prologue and chapter 1 the game is difficult and very challenging, (I'm not saying its good or bad) and specially the battle with letho is very hard and cruel (I've died more than 30 times in that battle!). But exactly after beginning of chapter 2 the game turned very easy for me and I just died one more time to the end of the game... Actually I don't think gameplay of Witcher2 is exactly what CD Project Red had in his mind (in first place).

Difficulty of the game is unstable and unbalance. I mean In prologue and chapter 1 the game is difficult and very challenging, (I'm not saying its good or bad) and specially the battle with letho is very hard and cruel (I've died more than 30 times in that battle!). But exactly after beginning of chapter 2 the game turned very easy for me and I just died one more time to the end of the game... Actually I don't think gameplay of Witcher2 is exactly what CD Project Red had in his mind (in first place).

the gameplay requires concentration, its not about just spamming your left mouse button, personally I never used the queen sign, instead i doubled the dodge distance early once(that really helps)+ the skill to damage enemies at once + the skill to get 100% even when attacked on back and to kill them aard enemies one by one + attack. i think the magic skill tree is not real fun compared to the slashing and runing around. when ure in the top levels its gonna feel like the white wolf is really the cool agile guy that you just cant kill no matter what u do :D

Nope not a huge TV. I am running the 5760 X 1200 on three 24" 1920 X 1200 monitors in surround driven by a pair of GTX 580's. I use a bezel overlap instead of bezel correction. TW2 in full surround with settings maxed and in battle brings the 580's to 85 degrees C so the next step is a second liquid cooling loop (crazy, I know)

Bigger screens at the same resolution are indeed just the pixels getting bigger but 1920 X 1200 is a far better satarting point than 1080p. I have both and there is no comparison. I no longer use the 1080p as it is narrow and in sourround mode it looks anemic.

@termadoyle
Well now you know how some of feel when we play overly simplified games.
Step up to bat. Challenge yourself. Pressing space to win is a trend to be fought.
I think when you accept games that are a true challenge you'll find challenge makes well-designed but challenging games better.

Yes it`s the `` SILVER `` sword not `` STEEL `` as written in the guide. And by the way, once I destroyed 3 of its tentacles, he went down. Probably my sword or blows were stronger thus I didn`t need 4, 3 of them were enough. By the way I killed the monster in 5 attempts with normal difficulty, it`s not that hard really.

@OldPhart69 most likely it could be that you were standing close to some interacting area such as "those fire torches" etc. so you might be targeting by default. run a little somewhere and then try to hit the guy again. Though i am replying way too late and you might have already found the solution :) still...

@D4rm4w4n Quick TIme Events. You know when you have to repeatedly push a button in order to perform some action, like slashing an enemy or evading , and then you have to rapidly switch to another fast press sequence.